Search engine optimization (SEO) has become an essential part of the marketing mix, and we’re here to break it down when it comes to budget. It’s important to consider short-term and long-term goals as well as the size of your company when determining the appropriate percentage of budget to allocate. Do you want to expand your sales funnel? Increase awareness? Show up in more searches? Starting with a goal leads to a more effective strategy.

Generally, businesses dedicate anywhere from 5-20% of their total marketing budget to SEO. So why is it worth the money?

Investing in SEO builds credibility with your audience and gives you a competitive advantage. If your competitors are investing in SEO, it’s critical to provide an even better user experience. PPC campaigns and SEO are the perfect match, too. By leveraging the power of both mediums, your search results will skyrocket to the top organically, instead of having to allocate more money to be one of the first results. With the first Google search page getting over 90% of traffic, you can’t afford to not be there. 

While the short-term monetary investment may seem steep depending on the size of your business and budget flexibility, long-term success can be found in:

• Site architecture: ensures a smooth user experience that captures attention.
• Fresh content: with keyword-rich material to match queries.
• Quality backlinks: natural backlinks from trusted sites help you climb rankings.

It’s important to remember that seeing results from SEO investments takes time. Like most marketing objectives, overnight results are few and far between. With the proper resources, expertise, and partnerships, SEO can pay dividends and help you achieve the goals you outline.

Ready to implement SEO as part of your marketing strategy? Contact the SEO gurus at C Squared Social.